Automatic machinery for making basket-covers.



R. B. FULLER.

AUTOMATIG MACHINERY FOR MAKING BASKET COVERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.12, 1907. 947,324. Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

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flW A 7% W R B. FULLER. AUTOMATIC MACHINERY FOR MAKING BASKET COVERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO..12, 1907.

Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

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R. B. FULLER. 7

AUTOMATIC MACHINERY FOR MAKING BASKET covms.

APPLIGATION FILED DEC. 12, 1907.

- Patented Jan.25,1910.

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R. B. FULLER. AUTOMATIC MACHINERY FOR MAKING BASKET COVERS. APPLICATIONFILED DBG.12, 1907. 947,324 Patented Jan.25, 1910.

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RUSSELL B. FULLER, 0F 'EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

.AUTOMATIC MACHINERY FOR MAKING BASKET-COVERS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 25, 191.0.

Application filed December 12, 1907. Serial No. 406,184.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUssELL B. FULLER, a citizen of theUnited States ofAmerica, and resident of Evansville, Vanderburg county, Indiana, haveinvented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Automatic Machinery forMaking Basket-Covers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic machinery for making basket covers,such, for example, as the covers used on ordinary fruit baskets. Amachine of this character is disclosed in my prior patent Number888,989, issued May 26, 1908. It will. be seen'that the links of theendless work-carrier are provided with curved. recesses for receivingthe curved cleats of the basket covers. It will also be seen that, in mysaid prior patent, the nailers or devices for inserting the long nailsthrough the central portions of the cleats are located between thestaplers, so that the long nails and the staples for securing the slatsto the cleats are inserted in one and the same cover by one and the sameoperation. As hereinafter described, however, I provide means wherebythe link-belts are adapted'to carry the cleats without the necessity ofre ceasing the links thereof, every other link be ing of a box-like formand provided on its upper surface with vertical pins arranged inposition to receive the cleatsbetween them. Furthermore, with myimproved arrangement, the nailers or devices for inserting the nails orlong flexible attaching devices through the cleats are arranged outsideof the staplers,that is to say, at a point be yond the staplers in thedirection of the travel of the endless carrier or work-holder. With thisarrangement, the staplers insert the staples to secure the slats to thecleats of one cover, and at the same time the cover which has beenfinished, and which has passed out from under the staplers, is receivingthe long nails or flexible attaching, devices. The staples and nails arethus driven simultaneously, but not in one and the same cover. While thestaples are being driven in one cover the long nails or flexibleattaching devices are being inserted in another cover.

In addition, the cleat-carrying links of my improved work-holder orendlesscarrier are provided with openings adapted to receive the ends ofthe nails or flexible attaching devices, and the sprocket wheels overwhich the endless link-belts travel are provided with clench-blocksadapted to deflect the nails or flexible attachingv devices and causethe same to be bent fiat-wise upon the under surfaces of the cleats ofeach basket cover. While the long nails or flexible attaching devices ofthe cover are being thus bentupwardly and flat-wise on the surfaces ofthe cleats, the basket covers are held down'by spring guards orpressing'devices, which latter are located practically over the sprocketwheels which carry the'said clench -bloeks. In this-way, I provide amachine which will staple together the slats and cleats of a hasketcover, insert through the cleats the long nails or flexible attachingdevices, and'then throw the cover out in a finished condition and'withthe said nails or flexibleattaching devices bent into position suitablefor stacking the covers one upon the other, as is usual in the shipmentofarticles of this character. The nature and advantages of my inventionwill, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end view of a basket covermachine embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal sectionon the line '22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4; is a detail perspective view of aportion of one of the endless link-belts which constitute the travelingwork-holder or carrier. Fig. 5 is a perspective of one of the completedbasket covers. Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section through oneend of the linkbelt constituting one side of the endless carrier,showing the sprocket wheel which is provided with clench-blocks forfolding devices for inserting the long flexible attaching devicesthrough the central portion of the cleats.

As thus illustrated, my improved basket cover machine' comprises asuitable body frame A composed of upright side castings a, andhorizontal side members a .as shown more clearly in Fig. 3 of thedrawings. The said'side members a are probox-like links, such as thelink f shown in Fig. 4, and intermediatelinks 7, so that each link-beltpresents a. practically continuous fiat upper surface. The links f areprovided with upright end pins f and f outside pins f and inside pins fadapted to receive the basket cleats between them It will be seen thatthe cleats X shown in Fig. 5 are curved, and by referring to Fig. 7, itwill be seen that these cleats fit accurately between the said pins, sothat each link f is adapted to firmly hold a cleat of one end of thebasket cover. Furthermore, it will be seen that these box-like links areprovided with slots f adapted to receive the flexible attaching devicesor long nails Y of the said covers, which are driven in the centralportions of said cleats. The slats Z are secured to the said cleats andspaced apart at opposite sides of said long nails or attaching devices,the ends of said slats being curved to match the outer curvature of saidcleats. The side portions a are supported at the loading end of thecarrier by means of upright rods H, and the crosspiece it supports theupper strand of each endless link-belt or carrier. The castings a areconnected by a shaft I which is provided with a cam z' for operating thefeed mechanism of'the endless carrier or link-belt work-holder. A link ihas its upper end pivoted at 2' and is provided with a roller i adaptedto engage the said cam. The lower end of said link is connected with arod 2' to which is attached a dog 2' adapted to engage the ratchet wheeli on the shaft B, and the spring 2' tends to retract the said feedmechanism. In this way, the rotation of the shaft I is accompanied by anintermittent feeding motion of the two linkbelts constituting theendless traveling work-holder or carrier. It will be understood, ofcourse, that the shaft I can be rotated by any suitable means.

At a point where the clench-blocks (Z on the sprocket wheels D areadapted to engage the long nails or flexible attaching devices, and justabove such point, are located the springy pressing devices or guards J,whereby the basket covers are firmly held down while the clench-blocks(Z on the said sprocket wheels are folding the nails Y flatwise upon theunder surfaces of the cleats, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6.

The staplers K are arranged in pairs, one pair at each side of themachine, and the members of each pair suitably spaced apart to insertstaples through the slats Z and into the cleats of each cover. After thecover receives the said staples, it then passes beneath the nailers L,one of which nailers is arranged over each link-belt, as shown moreclearly in Fig. 7. In this way, one cover is stapled while the precedingcover is having the long nails or flexible attaching devices insertedtherein, and more room -is given for the operation of the differentdevices,that is to say, the arrangement in some ways is moresatisfactory than with the nailers arranged between the staplers. Thesaid staplers can be of any suitable known or approved character, andare operated by the reciprocating cross-head M, which latter isconnected with the shaft I by a pitman m and eccentric cam and straps mThe nailers are operated by the same cross-head, so that the nailplungers N descend at the same time that the staple drivers move down toinsert the staples. These nailers can also be of any suitable, known orapproved character, such as shown in Fig. 8, and may have the nails fedthereto from the rocking trough or nail receptacle 0.

IVith this arrangement, the cleats and slats are inserted in the pins ofthe linkbelts, at a point near the shaft C, which is the receiving endof the machine. It will be seen that the pins also serve to suitablyspace the slats apart on the cleats of the covers, and the latter thentravel forward and pass beneath the staplers. Each cover receives thestaples, and afterward each cover receives the two nails or longflexible attaching devices, the endless work-holder or carrier remainingstationary long enough to permit the covers to receive the staples andnails. The covers finally pass out from beneath the spring guards orpressing devices, and they are then complete in every respect, and thelong nails or flexible attaching devices are folded upon the under surfaces of the cleats, so that the covers can be stacked upon each otherin a convenient and satisfactory manner, as is customary and usual forshipping purposes.

It will be seen that the cross-beams I connect the castings a at a pointimmediately below the staplers, and that the link-belt. supports Q arecarried by the said crossbeams P and the cross-bar 71.. These supports Qcarry the upper strands of the link belts, and support the latter duringtheir forward travel. and while they are sustaining the basket coversand receiving the downward pressure of the staples and nailers.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means forholding the slats and cleats of the basket covers, means for staplingthe slats to the cleats, means for inserting the long nails or flexibleattaching devices through the central portions of the cleats, and meansfor automatically folding the said long nails or flexible attachingdevices flat-wise upon the under surfaces of the cleats, by forwardmotion of the covers.

2. In a machine of the class specified, an endless traveling work-holderprovided with means for holding the materials to be operated upon, meansfor inserting the flexible attaching devices through the said materials,sprocket wheels for said endless traveling work-holder, said sprocketwheels provided with clench-blocks adapted to engage the said flexibleattaching devices to fold the same flat-wise upon the under surfaces ofthe said materials.

3. In a machine of the class specified, sprocket wheels, link beltstraveling over said sprocket wheels, said link belts prosided withopenings to permit the insertion of flexible attaching devices, andclenchblocks on the sprocket wheels adapted to fold said flexibleattaching devices.

4. In a machine of the class specified, a pair of link-belts, pressingdevices for holding the materials down on said link-belts, means forinserting flexible attaching devices, and sprocket wheels below saidpressing devices, said sprocket wheels provided with clench-blocksadapted to engage the flexible attaching devices to fold the sameflat-wise upon the under surfaces of said materials.

5. In a machine of the class specified, a pair of endless travelinglink-belts, means for moving the link-belts in unison, said link-beltscomposed of alternate box-like links providing flat upper surfaces,intermediate or inner links, and upright pins on the tops of saidbox-like links, said pins disposed in position to receive and hold thecurved cleats of the basket covers, each link carrying only a singlecleat, and said pins serving also to space the slats apart upon saidcleats.

6. In a machine of the class specified, means for carrying the basketcovers forward, means for stapling the parts of the basket coverstogether by a plurality of staples at each end of each cover, and meansfor inserting the long nails or flexible attaching devices in thefinished cover While the parts of the next cover are being stapledtogether.

7. In a machine of the class specified, means for carrying the basketcovers forward, two pairs of staplers for stapling together the parts ofthe basket covers arranged over the said carrying means, a pair ofnailers, one for each side of the machine, arranged after the staplers,and means for simultaneously operating the said staplers and nailers tocause the same to staple together the parts of one cover while thepieceding cover is receiving the long nails or flexible attachingdevices.

8. The improved basket cover machine, comprising sprockets provided withmeans for folding the long nails or flexible attaching devices of thecovers, substantially as shown and described. 7

9. In a basket cover machine, a pair of belts having links which areeach long enough to fully support only a single cleat, vertical pins onsaid links for holding the cleats in place thereon, and means foractuating the link-belts to feed the covers forward.

10. In a basket cover machine, belts having links every other one ofwhich are each long enough to fully support only a single cleat,staplers for fastening slats to the cleats, and means for inserting longnails through the central portion of the cleats of one cover while theparts of another cover are being stapled together, whereby each cover isfinished by successive operations thereon be fore leaving its originalposition on the links of said belts.

11. In a basket cover machine, link belts, pins on the links thereof forholding cleats thereon, said pins disposed in position to hold eachcleat on a single link, means for stapling the slats to the cleats,means for feeding the belts forward, and means for inserting theflexible attaching devices through the cleats of one cover while theparts of another cover are being stapled together, whereby each cover isfinished by successive operations thereon before leaving its originalposition on the links of said belts.

12. In a basket cover machine, a traveling work-holder, means forcarrying cleats on said work-holder, means for stapling slats to thecleats, means for feeding the workholder forward, and means forinserting long nails through the central portion of the cleats of onecover While the parts of another cover are being stapled together,whereby each cover is finished by successive operations thereon beforeleaving its original position on said work holder.

13. In a basket cover machine, means on a traveling sprocket chain forholding an article, a sprocket wheel for said chain, means for insertinga device through said article, and means on the sprocket wheel forengaging and folding said device.

Signed by me at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, this 4th day ofDecember, 1907.

RUSSELL B. FULLER.

Witnesses:

SARAH Lnwis, ALBERT J. SAUSER. 1-"-

